| Day 1 - Wednesday, 1 June 2005 |
The band leaves from Mascot Airport in Sydney on British Airway flights. There is the usual hassle with baggage and the fragile instruments including the specially made golden lagerphone.
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| Day 2 - Thursday, 2 June 2005 |
Arrive in London for a short stopover before boarding the much shorter flight to Copenhagen. We pick up our cars - a Toyota and 2 Mazda station wagons and then it's off to Roskilde for the first night and a chance to taste some Danish food and catch up on some sleep. We (David in particular) had a bit of fun trying to find the hotel including driving on the wrong side of the road, driving through red lights and on bike paths, all part of the assimilation to a new country and driving regime. We survived!
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| Day 3 - Friday, 3 June 2005 |
It's an early start for the band. We headed off for the first festival at Halkaer in northern Denmark. The festival appearance has been organised by Eskil Romme, whom David met in Australia while Eskil was on tour there with Faerd. The band caught up with good friends Felpeyu from Asturies, Spain. Felpeyu have played in Australia at the Illawarra Folk Club and Illawarra Folk Festival at Jamberoo which Dave is the Director of. Other performers who played included the wonderful Ian Carr on guitar and Niklas Roswall on the amazing Swedish nyckelharpe. JPP - Järvelän Pikkupelimannit from Finland with 3 fiddles, harmonium and double bass played for the end of the night, well actually early morning dance till 2.30am! They like to party and dance in Denmarl! For details on the festival go to http://www.halkaer.dk/
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| Day 4 - Saturday, 4 June 2005 |
Still at the festival, the band played for a bush dance. Graeme taught the steps to lots of fun dances including the Heel & Toe Polka, The Galopede, Circle Waltz, Virginia Reel and Muffin Man Jig. Many of these dances have originated in Australia but they have become modified and gained their own Aussie accent. The crowd seemed to really enjoy the dances. |
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| Day 5 - Sunday, 5 June 2005 |
The band plays in the final concert and there is a terrific session with many of the festival's artists participating. It's farewells all round.
  
Wongawilli at Eskil's great organic farm at Halkaer | Ian Carr and Niklas Roswall | JPP at 2.30am and they're still dancing! | Felpeyu on fire.
 
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Day 6 - Monday, 6 June 2005
EJSING / HOLSTEBRO |
After a big night, the band set off to play at the Ejsing school, about 2 hours drive from Halkaer. Local teacher Bent Bjerregaard had arranged the band to come along and play for the students. The children learn some bush dances. Bent then took the band over to the nearby town of Holstebro for an afternoon concert.
  
 Outside the Town Hall in Holstebro. 
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Day 7 - Tuesday, 7 June 2005
KALO |
The band is off again to the town of Ronde to play at the Kalø Landbrugsskole. Ronde is near the cultural mecca of Denmark, Arhus.
  
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Day 8 - Wednesday, 8 June 2005
JELS |
Cafe Ellegaard, Jels. Over 150 people booked in for the concert.
 
 
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| Day 9 - Thursday, 9 June 2005 |
Free day around Jels. Some of the band headeds over to the beautiful town of Ribe on the west coast while the youngest Samuel and his family were off to Legoland in Billund.
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| Day 10 - Friday, 10 June 2005 |
The band traveled back across Denmark to Korsor via Odense and the Hans Christian Andersen Centre and the old sea town of Nibe. The band performed that night at the Bagergarden in Korsor to a terrific audience who danced, clapped and rocked the joint.
  
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| Day 11 - Saturday, 11 June 2005 |
A repeat performance at the Bagergarden, this time in the afternoon. A pleasant evening of good food and company followed with their hosts Helge and Anne Marie.
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| Day 12 - Sunday, 12 June 2005 |
The band then headed back across the islands for the German border. The destination was Okseoe Island situated in the Flensborg Harbour but part of Denmark. Rudiger and Bettina were the wonderful hosts. A concert followed that afternoon.
 
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| Day 13 - Monday, 13 June 2005 |
A day over in the German city of Flensborg. The band tasted arguably the best rum in the world at Hansons Distellery! Back to Okseoe Island for a relaxing and peaceful evening.
  
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| Day 14 - Tuesday, 14 June 2005 |
A catch-up day on sleep and peace and quiet on Okseoe Island. Thre was an afternoon performance for a charter group to the island. That afternoon Jane and David collected the local mussells and Rudiger, Ollie and Bettina cooked a beautiful White Wine Mussell soup! |
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| Day 15 - Wednesday, 15 June 2005 |
A hecti day with two gigs! Firstly a gig on the Island for dinner and then a dash to the mainland and the Flensburg Shamrock Irish Pub for an 11pm start! The band finished at around 2.30am! Due to the German bar rules, young Samuel was unable to play with the band so mum Tania and chaffeur Reg left, leaving Jason, Chloe, Graeme, Jane and David to appease the young but appreciative audience. Thanks to Guy and Ute for a great night and the Jagermeister!
 
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| Day 16 - Thursday, 16 June 2005 |
The band then travelled about 2 hours to the location of Denmark's biggest folk festival - Tonder! The band played at the famous Hagges Folk Music Pub owned and operated by the Friends of Tonder Festival. The walls of the pub were covered with folk music legend photos and great scenes from the festival.
  
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| Day 17 - Friday, 17 June 2005 |
Helge Arisldoe arranged a bush dance for the Naturskolen, Kamstrupvej, Roskilde.
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| Day 18 - Saturday, 18 June 2005 |
The band then a quick morning cruise of Copenhagen harbour before setting off over the amazing bridge from Denmark to Sweden. The band met up with an Australian ex-pat living in the south of Sweden and performed at the Degeberga Folk Festival near Kristianstad.
 
Nuhavn in Copenhagen.
  
  Scenes from Degeberga Folk Festival.
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| Day 19 - Sunday, 19 June 2005 |
The big parade and massed fiddles, amazing!
 
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| Day 20 - Monday, 20 June 2005 |
Off to Stockholm.
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| Day 21 - Tuesday, 21 June 2005 |
Free day on a ferry to Aland Finland.
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| Day 22 - Wednesday, 22 June 2005 |
A performance at the Skansen Museum in Stockholm.
  
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| Day 23 - Thursday, 23 June 2005 |
Off to the heartland of Swedish folk music - Leksand in Dalarna. A terrific evening of music with local fiddlers and the house of Jussi and Christina. The band also was introduced to the great Viking game of Kubb.
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| Day 24 - Friday, 24 June 2005 |
Midsummers Day in the middle of Sweden - maypoles going up everywhere! The band performed at the Hjortnas Brygga, next to Lake Siljian. What a beautiful night, well it was a dark shade of day for about 2 hours!
 
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| Day 25 - Saturday, 25 June 2005 |
Off to Leksand to the biggest Maypole celebration which is televised on Swedish national television. There lots of fiddlers and costumed dancers - fantastic. |
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| Day 26 - Sunday, 26 June 2005 |
A big drive through the centre of Sweden. |
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| Day 27 - Monday, 27 June 2005 |
Ystad, performance at the Ystad Marina restaurant. |
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| Day 28 - Tuesday, 28 June 2005 |
Ystad, bush dance on the green and then another performance at the restuarant. |
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| Day 29 - Wednesday, 29 June 2005 |
The band left at 6am to catch the Gothenburg Ferry for Denmark. The band played at the Hals Music Cafe to a great audience.
  
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| Day 30 - Thursday, 30 June 2005 |
Off to Skagen Festival for the final part of the tour.
  
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| Day 31 - Friday, 1 July 2005 |
  
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| Day 32 - Saturday, 2 July 2005 |
  
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| Day 33 - Sunday, 3 July 2005 |
  
Dave, Peer and Graeme | Pat, Reg and Peer merchandise | Peer Andersen, director of Skagen festival signing up Samuel De Santi for a lifetime gig contract.
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| Day 34 - Monday, 4 July 2005 |
Final performance at the Axeltove, outside the Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen
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| Day 35 - Tuesday, 5 July 2005 |
End of a great tour with 26 performances, over 6,000 people in attendance and a great deal of new friends. |
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